beta58A, e865, e945, sm58 for vocals

[BlueShift]

So which one would you have - forgetting the prices of any of them. if you could hve one of those 4 for vocals which would you take and why?

 

I personally lean toward the e945...

 

Cheers

[Mr.Si]

Oops, forgot to read your OP, Blueshift!

 

I clicked SM58 - because they're the only one in the list that I have available to me!

 

I understand that the Beta 58A's are more Hypercardioid pattern wise than SM58's but I don't necessarily think that that's a good thing.

 

But, it depends on the vocalist - some mics are better than others for different voices.

 

I do have a Sennheiser 835 which I like though, and we also use them in church and they also work well.

[BlueShift]

Oops, forgot to read your OP, Blueshift!

 

I clicked SM58 - because they're the only one in the list that I have available to me!

 

I understand that the Beta 58A's are more Hypercardioid pattern wise than SM58's but I don't necessarily think that that's a good thing.

 

But, it depends on the vocalist - some mics are better than others for different voices.

 

I do have a Sennheiser 835 which I like though, and we also use them in church and they also work well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

agreed. however, im not choosing a mic for a particular vocal style (if I was, it would be easier!) but im in fact after a good all rounder. the SM58 is probably the best known mic in the world, yet I find it a little dull - lacking the clarity and presence a beta brings. I have always found sennheiser mics brighter, and the e945 has a very smooth sound to it

[benge]

I like the sound of e865..... but it does tend to depend on the voice....

 

Ben

[sam.henderson]

I would say, and the poll at the mo would tend to agree, that a SM58 seems to be a pretty 'industry standard' vocal mic. Even as a Lampy if I was asked to bodge up a vocal mic for a singer quickly I would go for a SM58 without knowing much else about their voice/ style etc.

 

Sam

[BlueShift]

I would say, and the poll at the mo would tend to agree, that a SM58 seems to be a pretty 'industry standard' vocal mic. Even as a Lampy if I was asked to bodge up a vocal mic for a singer quickly I would go for a SM58 without knowing much else about their voice/ style etc.

 

Sam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That is indeed true - but its industry standardness I believe is because of its relativly low price and many aplications - beyond that of vocals. However, it is by no means one of the best live vocal mics around. Nor do I want one for a range of applications - purely male and female soft-rock vocals. So a more tailored mic is in order I think

[J Pearce]

I use SM58s where I don't know the singer, but one Jazz singer I work with sounds lovely on an e865, which lives with the PA for the band. Generally SM58 every time, because it gives a reliable sound on pretty much any voice.

[djw1981]

B 58 is good, kinda similar to SM58 and slightly brighter sounding IMHO.

[BlueShift]

B 58 is good, kinda similar to SM58 and slightly brighter sounding IMHO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

indeed, its less dull than an SM for sure. (no pun intended :D)

[paulears]

The SM86/87 is my handheld mic of choice, if, the talent has a voice that benefits from a crispy mid and top - if they are female with a bit of a shrill voice, then they are quite nasty - so back to a 58.

[rhizocarp]

I have sm58's, beta 58's and beta 57's and the 57's win for me on anything...and they're so compact

[david.elsbury]

Dude, talk about resurrecting an old thread! IMO 57's tend to pop with plosives far too easily to be useful.

 

And my mic of choice is a Beyer M88.

[JakeCTG]

I have sm58's, beta 58's and beta 57's and the 57's win for me on anything...and they're so compact

 

 

 

I Aggree I have bought 1 SM58 and that will be the only one I will ever buy. I have now started to use Beta 57's and love them they knock the spots of a SM58.

[ferrisio]

I find some singers don't like to experiment much, and a great singer will really work the proximity effect on an SM58 and make it sound fantastic. It's far more important to have a clean, hygenic SM58 than a rusty Beta that smells like an old sock full of cheese if you are out to impress IMHO!

 

Having said all that, my vocal mic of choice for most singers I know personally is the Beyer TG-X 80. The Neumann KMS 104 is fantastic, but expensive/phantom powered so slightly more inconvenient, and I certainly wouldn't offer one to a band I didn't know and trust WELL!

[minty]

Of the list the e865 is perhaps my favorite tonally for most circumstances, however real world....

 

Beta58 unless I know what to expect then it varies accordingly. Recently I have become very fond of beta87s.

 

However if you don't know the vocalist you may not end up using the very best mic for the job, but as long as you've got a decent quality mic (any in the op's list or any one of dozens of others) you should, imho, be able to get a decent sound.

 

Martin